We're Gonna Run
by slime frog
Summary: A collection of 4 songfics... extreme HA. mushiness. fluff. If none of these appeal to you, then possibly you shouldn't read. if not... come on in! First songfic using 'All the things she said' by t.a.T.u. Health warning is applicable on the last songfic
1. All the things she said

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*hangs head* I did say that the Chix and Holly songfics were the last, didn't I? I couldn't resist… these are just too perfect. It's fluffy, it's mushy, it's undoubtedly H/A and don't have a clue why I'm writing it. It's writing itself! So you have been warned and if you feel it necessary, leave now to get your sick bag. Or simply flee. Flee fast.

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A/N: Artemis on Holly, using the lyrics from t.a.T.u's song 'All the things she said'. If you haven't heard this song/want to listen to it as you read, you can find an online player that will do the whole song at this address:

w w w . b a n d b u i l d e r . c o m / t a t u / i n d e x . p h p ? r e f _ c o d e = B 2 5 7 5 5 9

(It's so spaced out 'cos ff.n won't let me have normal links… grrr… just copy and paste, then delete the spaces. Sorry.) When you go to the link a new window should open up, with a loading bar in the centre. That's the player, and the first song is this one and will automatically start to play. In theory. Oh, and the lyrics (in italics) are not exactly those that are sung – they're the lyrics in the little booklet in the album cover. *shrug* They just flow better, without stuff repeated a million times…

*****

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All the things she said

All the things she said

Running through my head

All the things she said

All the things she said

Running through my head

Artemis sat on his bed, head in hands. This was torture. His mind was clouded and cluttered with thoughts he did not want or need. Thoughts of the fairies. One in particular. How was one supposed to think straight when a single face filled every corner?

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This is not enough

He had to see her again, to talk things over. Sort things out. He certainly couldn't continue as he was.

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I'm in serious shit, I feel totally lost

If I'm asking for help it's only because

Being with you has opened my eyes

Could I ever believe such a perfect surprise?

Holly had changed him for the better, whether he would admit it or not. And he needed her now, needed her to show him that side of himself again before the uncertainty tore him apart.

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I keep asking myself, wondering how

I keep closing my eyes

But I can't block you out

It was so frustrating. He had no right or reason to feel what he was, there was no emotional catalyst. He'd just woken up one morning with a yearning in his chest and it had been there ever since. He'd tried and tried to ignore it, but it would not go away.

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Wanna fly to a place where

It's just you and me

Nobody else so we can be free

Secretly, deep down, he knew he wanted to be with Holly, to stay with her forever. But it wasn't that simple. Artemis sighed. It never was. There were too many obstacles – friends, family, society in general. The fact that Holly would out-live him by a thousand years.

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All the things she said

All the things she said

Running through my head

All the things she said

All the things she said

Running through my head

This is not enough

This is not enough

All the things she said

All the things she said

But somehow the obstacles didn't seem to matter. Not to his heart. It was like trying to tell a tidal wave it couldn't break because it would flood a village. Pointless.

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And I'm all mixed up

Feeling corned and rushed

He didn't know what to do. He had to something, and soon. Yet was there anything he could do? If he tried to live in denial it would slowly eat away at him until it sent him to an early grave. And he if he submitted to the feelings, let what his heart seemed to know was right happen, what then? A human and a fairy could not love each other, not where they came from. They would have to leave everything behind, all the people they cared about that cared about them. Could Holly do that? Could he?

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They say it's my fault but I want her so much

When it came down to it, he couldn't help feeling what he did. He hadn't asked to be in this situation. But that didn't change the fact that there _was_ a situation.

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Wanna fly her away where the sun and the rain

Come in over my face

Wash away all the shame

What he wouldn't give to just go, to just run away from it all to a place no-one would look twice at them; no-one would care. But there was no such place: wherever you go, prejudices precede you.

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When they stop and stare – don't worry me

'Cause I'm feeling for her

What she's feeling for me

Maybe other people's opinions didn't matter. All that should count was their love. Or his love, at any rate. Artemis dreaded to think what he would do if Holly didn't feel the same. 

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I can try to pretend, I can try to forget

But it's driving me mad, going out of my head

It was slowly but surely driving him insane. During the day he couldn't think about anything else for more than thirty seconds and at night countless scenarios and fantasies played themselves out in his dreams.

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Mother looking at me

Tell me what do you see?

Yes, I've lost my mind

His mother had noticed a change in him. So had Butler and Juliet; so had every one that knew him. How would they react when they found out why? What would they say when he told them he was leaving them to be with her?

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Daddy looking at me

Will I ever be free?

Have I crossed the line?

And his father. The father that had been absent from his life for two years, the father that was such a strong influence on him. Could he leave him behind as well?

Yes. For Holly, yes. Truth be told, he would do anything for her. It terrified him, but it was true. He was ready to take the plunge, show them all the finger. Artemis grinned and a kind of reckless glee filled his chest. He was going to run away with the fairy he loved.

He picked up his mobile phone and began to dial a number.

"Fairy, LEP, ransom fund, Recon, goblin, B'wa Kell, Holly, Captain Short, Captain Holly Short. I need to speak to Captain Holly Short."

*****

*dodges explosion of vomit* I'm sorry, OK? You came here from choice. You were warned… *ducks as jet of bile is aimed at her head and holds out a bag*

Hope that didn't cause serious harm to anyone's health/and or (most likely dwindling if you're here) sanity. Feel free to flame – though may I just say, first of all, no one forced you to read this. Unless, of course, for some reason you were held hostage and the person had a gun/knife/etc and held it to your head and said - *gets whacked round the head with a sledgehammer* and second of all, I'm not actually pro-H/A. I thinks it's wrong. *notices H/A songfic she just write* Damnit!

So anyway… REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Next 'chapter' (there are four songs in all) should be up soon… I'm gonna start writing it as soon as this is posted, but I may get bored/hauled off before I finish it. And I dunno how long my beta will be with it…

Luv slime xxx


	2. Not gonna get us

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Hello all! Boy, you must like mush if you came back here… though in all honesty, it's not as mushy as **some** songfics in this section

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TO MY REVIEWERS: I do this for Strictly Ballroom (my 'proper' fic) so why not this one too! *cheesy grin* Thanks to **meeee person** (I knew 'cos it made me sick… and don't worry. Although I haven't actually started SB16 yet, I know how it starts, how it ends, dadedadeda, and I've got work experience next week…), **Shattered Midnight Dreams** (*applauds* yes indeedy, very intelligent. It's a good point actually. Never occurred to me…), **Seadragon** (God… parallel minds or what? That's exactly what I was planning to do! Hope you had a good holiday, good luck with your songfics and I'll email you sometime this week, OK? Very busy now…),** Fowlet**, **Sara**, **Night **and **Ice Raider**. I can't believe I got no flames… seriously weird…

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A/N: Right then… lyrics in italics, not exactly those that are sung again, yadayadayada, same as before. Holly on Artemis using the lyrics to t.a.T.u's 'Not gonna get us'. This can also be played in full at the same address as before:

H t t p : / / w w w . b a n d b u i l d e r . c o m / t a t u / i n d e x . p h p ? r e f _ c o d e = B 2 5 7 5 5 9

(Spaced out as previously for same reasons – just delete spaces.) Once the player has loaded, it's the second song of three. You can either wait for the first one to finish or just click on the name. Hope it works for ya…

*****

They were going to run. Run away. Together. Holly's heart kept skipping beats as she packed her bag, eager to leave. They would go in the dead of their respective nights, slipping through the shadows to their meeting place.

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Not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

Not gonna get us

Not gonna get us

Secrecy was necessary to prevent discovery. Holly shuddered to think how certain people she knew would react to the knowledge. Her mother would probably have a nervous breakdown when she found out that her daughter, like her husband, had left her. Commander Root's heart was likely to give up there and then when he heard the news that one of his best officers had run off with the LEP's most wanted.

Holly didn't care. All that mattered was him, and being with him. They'd been planning what they had come to refer grandly to as 'The Escape' for weeks. The main problem was getting Holly above the surface without attracting too much attention. In the end she'd booked an economy seat on a shuttle to Tara during the full moon. Inconspicuous. And it came with a built in excuse. As far as anyone was concerned, she was just another elf going to complete the ritual.

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Starting from here, let's make a promise

You and me, let's just be honest

The shuttle docked and Holly leapt from her chair, aching to see him, to be on their way. She skipped through visa control, and ignoring the advice given to her by a sprite behind a desk conspicuously marked 'Information' – "You don't want to go out there now – dark's not for another two hours. You won't get a full moon until at least then." – she slipped through the camouflaged doors and into the dwindling Irish sunlight. Yanking the throttle of her stolen wings, she rocketed into the sky, fading to a slight shimmer as she sped towards the abandoned airfield.

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We're gonna run, nothing can stop us

Even the night that falls all around us

Tendrils of blue and black were beginning to eat at the eastern sky and Holly turned her face to the setting sun, gazing dreamily at its vivid colours. Everything seemed so beautiful and so perfect at sunset on a clear day. The sun painted the sky yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue and black, thin clouds etched out in glowing hues and early stars spotted like jewels in the black.

The darkness rushed to claim the countryside and Holly shifted impatiently, wondering how much longer Artemis could be.

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Soon there will be laughter and voices

Beyond the clouds over the mountains

She heard a noise behind her and spun to see a silhouetted figure making its way towards her from the newly illuminated hangar. She relaxed; the proud shoulders and confident walk were those of someone she knew.

She sprang to her feet, stiffness forgotten, and began to jog towards him. Seeing this, Artemis also picked up his pace and within seconds the runaways were face to face. More or less. Holly's mouth split into a grin that was mirrored on his lips and they simply stood for a few seconds, smiling at each other.

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We'll run away on roads that are empty

Lights from the airfield shining upon you

"Ready?" Artemis whispered and Holly nodded. Catching her hand, he pulled her towards the brightly-lit hangar and pushed open one of the doors. Inside stood a small non-descript white van, their agreed means of flight. If anyone saw it on the road, they'd simply assume it was making a night-time delivery. No need for them to look at the occupants. Holly hauled open the passenger door and belted herself into the specially modified seat.

She gestured at the pad beneath her. "You didn't have to do this, you know." she remarked.

Artemis shrugged. "I guessed you'd want a good view." he replied, winking at her. He started the engine and drove out of the building and away from the airfield, onto the deserted roads.

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Nothing can stop this, not now I love you

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

Nothing can stop this, not now I love you

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

There was nothing to stop them now. By the time the fairies realised Holly was gone she would have left Ireland and would be on the way across the Irish Sea to Wales. The plan was to go to Scotland and hide out in the moors and dales, going from hamlet to hamlet, posing as a brother and little sister on holiday until they found somewhere more permanent. Artemis knew his family would look everywhere for him so they were planning to avoid the busy areas and move quickly for the first few months.

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Not gonna get us

Not gonna get us

The dark road stretched out in front of the car headlights as they drove towards the port. Half of Holly wanted to jump up and down with excitement but the other half seemed to want to cry. She was leaving everything behind. The life she had known, the home she had lived it in, the people she had lived it with. It suddenly struck her that she wouldn't see them for decades, if ever again and she'd never had a chance to say goodbye. 

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We'll run away to everything simple

Night will come down, our guardian angel

He was worth it though. They were both going to start afresh, leave mistakes in the past. It would be just the two of them, with no one to tell them they were wrong or what to do.

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We rush ahead, the crossroads are empty

Our spirits rise, they're not gonna get us

Suddenly, Holly started to laugh. It started off as a small giggle and developed into gale upon gale of amusement. Artemis's mouth twitched and before long they were both in fits and he had to pull over until they had stopped. Neither one of them could believe what they were actually doing.

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My love for you, always forever

Just you and me, all else is nothing

Not going back, not going back there

They don't understand

They don't understand us

Abruptly, Holly lost all desire to return to her people. They didn't understand her, her and Artemis. They could never comprehend why they were in love, how a fairy could love a human. She didn't need them. All she needed was Artemis.

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Not gonna get us

Not gonna get us

Nothing can stop this, not now I love you

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

Nothing can stop this, not now I love you

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

They're not gonna get us

They drove on through the darkness, their future beckoning to them from around every bend.

*****

*dashes about handing out sick bags* That was bad, huh? Even worse than before… *throws showers of aspirin out to the small crowd of ill-looking people*

Ahem. Yes. Well, hope you liked it, and it wasn't too stupid/annoying/clichéd/sickening/other. Please review it anyway. A flame would do me good. It would reassure me. *looks afraid* I'm really not sure why this whole thing ain't on fire… REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

By the way, does anyone know anywhere online where you can play 'Isobel' by dido easily without waiting for five hours/downloading anything/having to have latest stuff? Because that's the next songfic, and I think it's good to give people the opportunity to hear it as often you don't know how the song goes… so if you do, I would be very grateful if you'd leave the address in a review/email. Don't go looking or anything (not that you would) and if necessary I'll just give the link to a soundbite on BN.com or something…

Luv slime xxxx


	3. Isobel

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*depressed voice* Hi. Yeah, I said I was gonna do this sooner didn't I? Ah well. I expect you've all forgotten this one now… yeah… *wanders dismally into the disclaimer*

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DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my hair, some nail varnish and a cat. Needless to say, I do not own Artemis Fowl or any other related indica, though I will say, seeing as Holly's mother isn't in the story as such (apart from being mentioned once) I would like some claim over her. But there really is nothing to claim because I haven't given her any new names or any new characteristics (though other fics have had her as nasty) so yeah. Never mind. And I also don't own Dido (nor the album – 'tis my sister's… *growl*) and I don't own the lyrics to 'Isobel' either. 

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TO MY REVIEWERS: thanks to soleil-luna-day, Lady of the Loch (if you come back… I'm sorry for making you so sick…), ms. halley bom-bally (course I remember you… you fic was so funny… I loved it…), ArtemisFowlWorld, SilverButterfly (where did you get the translation? Or are you just so multitalented and multilingual that you know Russian?), Fowlet, intrikate, Ever, Captain-Holly-Short, lutefa, fuzzbunni, HollyShort29406, Shattered Midnight Dreams and Seadragon (after this one is 'My last breath' by Evanescence).

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A/N: Almost done with the pre-story crap now, don't worry. This is with the song 'Isobel' by Dido (track no. 9 on the album 'No Angel' – the best album in the world). Just ignore the fact that Holly's name is not Isobel, I doubt she has a car, she didn't hang around in Ennis and I can't really see anything wrong with what Artemis Senior became, etc. I never said the lyrics where written for Holly. If you haven't heard the song, you can listen to it at:

H t t p : / / m u s I c . b a r n e s a n d n o b l e . c o m / s e a r c h / p r o d u c t . a s p ? u s e r I d = 1 9 F B 0 D 4 I 7 N & e a n = 7 8 2 2 1 9 0 2 5 2 6

Just scroll down until you get to track listings and click on song no. 9 – Isobel. You only get about 30 seconds of it, but it was the best I could find. If you know a better one, please do tell me.

*****

Commander Root leaned round the door of the Operations booth to find Foaly sitting amid a pile of disks and other technical rubbish.

"Have you seen or heard from Captain Short yet today, Foaly? It's just that she hasn't reported in to me, and she's over two hours late."

The centaur turned, looking puzzled. "Nope, ain't seen her since she left three days ago. Are you sure you didn't just miss her?"

Root shook his head. "No, I've been waiting for her; there's something I wanted to talk to her about. Could you call her at home, find out why the hell she isn't here?"

Foaly nodded. "I'll get on it as soon as I finish encrypting these disks…"

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I thought it was funny when you missed the train

When I rang you at home they said you'd left yesterday

An hour later, Foaly buzzed himself a line through to Commander Root's office.

"I tried calling Holly. Got no answer, the call just went straight to the machine."

Root sighed. This was all he needed. He was one officer short, and had no idea where she was. "OK, thanks Foaly. I assume you looked into it a little further," He let the sentence hang, waiting for the centaur to fill him in on the rest.

"Funny thing. I did a quick search, and shuttles to the surface came up. According to their database, an elf by the name of Holly Short booked a shuttle to Tara two days ago."

Root shrugged. "So what? She was probably just going to complete the ritual, everyone does it."

On screen, Foaly shook his head. "That's not the interesting part. The records say she caught the shuttle _to_ Tara, but didn't get on one back to Haven. She didn't even book it. One-way ticket."

The commander frowned. "That must be a malfunction. If she only booked one way that would mean…"

"She's still up there." completed the centaur. There was silence for a moment. Root was thinking hard. He sat forward, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Was any equipment, like, say, a wing rig signed out around that time?"

Foaly nodded grimly. "Yup. A pair of unauthorised Hummingbirds left Ops the day before. I didn't notice, thought it was just a miscount."

A feeling rather like dread was starting to crawl into the Commander's stomach. "Run a scan. Get me the results a.s.a.p." He cut the connection.

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I thought it was strange when your car was found

By the tree in Ennis where we used to hang around

The incoming call alert on Root's desk started to flash. The commander punched 'receive' and waited for Foaly to speak.

"I did the scan. As you know, all LEP equipment is sprayed with a tracker, rather like the one used on the ransom gold, though slightly different so we can - "

The Commander emitted a low growl. "The results, Foaly."

"Well, I ran the scan and sure enough, there were traces around Tara. But it gets better. The tracker tells us that whoever this guy, or girl, is, flew out of the shuttle port, headed south-east and stopped at an airfield, an abandoned one. The trail ends there. I'd say, by the strength of the signal, our perp – or the wing rig, at least – has been there for about forty-eight hours."

Root's brain whirred, processing the information. "Two days. That's a long time." He cursed under his breath. "This still doesn't make any sense." He paused for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. "Alright, send a recon officer. Who's available?"

Foaly consulted his records. "Um… Captain Vein looks like the best choice, sir."

Root nodded. "OK, bring him in. Prep him and brief him. Oh, and make sure he's wired. This whole situation is looking very fishy to me…"

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Dear Isobel, I hope you're well and what you've done is right

Captain Vein cleared the shuttle port in record time. He wasn't a patch on Holly when it came to flying a pod, but he sure knew how to get through customs quickly. He brought the co-ordinates up on his locator, and programmed the location into the autopilot on his wings.

He arrived at his destination just as dusk was falling and followed the signal into the airfield's hangar.

"Control" he said into his mike, drawing his buzz-baton for safety. "Commander, this is Captain Vein. I'm at the location."

Root could be heard champing down on one end of his cigar. "What have you got for me?"

"There's no one here, sir. The rig has been left in a corner. I scanned it for bugs, explosives. It's clear." He panned the camera on his helmet round the large space. It was indeed empty of all except one pair of wings.

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Oh it's been such hell, I wish you well, I hope you're safe tonight

Root swore, then buried his face in his hands. "D'Arvit. Alright, good work Captain. Get back here as soon as possible for a debriefing." He switched the link back to Foaly, who was looking grim. "Looks like she's gone missing. Again. We got any leads?"

Foaly shook his head. "No sir, but I'm looking. If they're there I'll find them."

"Good man. Let's find that Captain of ours and bring her home."

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It's been a long day coming and long will it last

When it's last day leaving, and I'm helping it pass

By loving you more

Holly had been missing for five days. It had inevitably leaked out of the department and now everyone knew she was gone. They were all worried about her on some level. Foaly was asked at least ten times a day if any headway had been made. The answer always seemed to be negative. It seemed as though Captain Short had disappeared into thin air.

Foaly was listlessly scanning through a class list from Holly's Academy days when suddenly a thought struck him. Artemis Fowl. He pounded his fist gently on the worktop. Of course. Why hadn't he thought to check that as well?

Fingers flying over the keyboard, the centaur skimmed through the data, searching for relevance. At last he found a possible hit in the Dublin Police Department's missing person files: Fowl, Artemis, last seen 16/7/2010. He started. That was the day Holly had booked the shuttle. It couldn't be a coincidence. He patched himself a direct line to the commander.

"What is it Foaly?" growled Root, evidently not in the best of moods.

"I got a lead."

Root sat up, irritation forgotten. "Go on."

"Artemis Fowl. There's a name that should ring a few bells. Reported missing and last seen the day Holly left. There's got to be a connection."

Root cursed. "D'Arvit. This is starting to look more and more like a kidnapping every day. But it doesn't fit… she left of her own free will, it wasn't as though Fowl was down here with the gorilla and his gun." He sighed. "I think it's time we did a bit of first hand investigation. Foaly, I want you to search her apartment, look for clues. If he managed to blackmail her, we need to know how and why. I know it's an invasion of privacy, but in the circumstances…"

"Say no more, chief. I'll go later today."

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And who he would become, all the things he'd have done

Foaly stood outside Holly's door and tried not to think too much about the implications of what he was doing. Her security system was child's play to bypass for an experienced technician like himself (it helped that he had designed the basic model a few decades ago) but it seemed wrong somehow, as though he was prying where he had no right to pry. If it would get her back, though…

He opened the door and peered cautiously round it. The apartment was empty and a thin film of dust had settled on the flatter surfaces. The ventilation had kept it smelling fresh but there was a decidedly dead and forgotten feel to it. Lying on the table, in one such pool of dust motes was a piece of paper.

A sinking feeling in his chest, Foaly moved towards the table and picked it up. It was a note, written it would seem, by Holly's own hand. With dawning horror, the centaur began to read it. He sat abruptly down in one of Captain Short's kitchen chairs and stared at it. It couldn't be. She wouldn't do that. But the evidence was right in front of him.

He sighed and switched on his mike. "Control. I found something, Commander. You're not going to like it one little bit."

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Would he have loved you and not let you down?

Commander Root was staring at the small piece of paper on his desk, reading it for perhaps the sixteenth time. He kept shaking his head, rubbing his chin as though trying to figure it out. Foaly left him to it for a while. Anyone could see he needed some time to take it in.

Root eyes flickered to the top the paper again, fingers tracing the pictograms as if to check they were authentic. The note read:

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I have gone. Which, I'm sure, you will already know as no doubt you found out about the shuttle. I expect Foaly will have made the connection between my disappearance and that of Artemis Fowl. That will be why you are searching my apartment, for clues as to how he got me to the surface. The answer is simpler than you might think. It is because I love him. How, you may well ask yourselves. I can't answer that. I just know that I love him more than I've ever loved anyone, and I know he loves me.

I have disappeared. I'm not going to come back, so please stop looking for me. Just know that I am safe and leave it at that. I don't want to be hunted by my friends and family, and I'm sure you don't want to do the hunting. Forget me.

I am sorry to leave like this, but it was the only way. You know you would have stopped at nothing to prevent me going. Artemis's family is the same. That was why we had to be so secret, and I'm sorry if I hurt you by not telling you. I will think of you, but I don't want you to think of me. Simply know that I love you, all of you and I will always remember what my life was. Thank you for all you've given me. You all know who you are. I must go now, or I'll miss the shuttle. Thank you again.

Holly

Root buried his face in his hands. It couldn't be genuine. She would never do this, she was a smart girl. D'Arvit, she was an elf and a recon officer! Fowl must have threatened her in some way, possibly threatened the fairy civilisation. He wouldn't put it past him.

Root pressed a button on his in-office com system that got him a direct line to Ops.

"Foaly? I want you to test that note to within an inch of its life. I want every check for authenticity known to fairy, I want psychologists to analyse the handwriting and the tone, language, the works, I want an expert to check it's definitely Holly's writing. Then I want you to pull up any surveillance of Holly just before and as she left and get the quacks on that too. While you're at it, contact the Fowls. They have to know something. We can still find her if we're quick."

Foaly nodded and terminated the link. The commander was having a hard time accepting what Holly's note was telling him, that much was obvious, but he could have a point. The centaur hoped he did.

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And would he be stronger than his father?

After two days of in-depth, intense analysis the psychologists, experts and tests had all come to the same conclusion: the note was genuine, the feelings were genuine, she was telling the truth and she had definitely shown indications of excitement and anticipation before her departure. The Fowls had yielded nothing new, although most of the Fowl household had noticed a change in the youngest occupant, a 'lightening of the spirit' as his mother had described it and a 'sneaky, secretive air' as Juliet had put it.

Hope of finding something to disprove what looked like the inevitable conclusion became slimmer and slimmer. Root became more bad-tempered, if possible, and Foaly seemed to be strangely subdued. An air of dread mixed with faint hope hung in the hallways of Police Plaza and everyone was quieter somehow. No one was prepared to accept the truth.

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Don't punish yourself, leave it well alone

After three months the case was officially dropped by the Council. Captain Holly Short was proclaimed missing indefinitely and they left it at that. They had been reluctant to give up; Holly had never been very popular with them but she was one of their own, a member of the People. Those who knew her found it harder still. Commander Root refused to give up on her, whatever others might say and Foaly never gave up the search, exhausting every lead before finding new, even more far-fetched ones. Mrs. Short was possibly the best person to take the news. After a few weeks of denial and hysteria she simply excepted the fact and made do with the knowledge that her daughter was happy.

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Dear Isobel, I hope you're well and what you've done is right

Oh it's been such hell, I wish you well, I hope you're safe tonight

Despite her request, the People never forgot Holly. She soon faded from the general public's interest and became the stuff of myth, but certain members of the LEP took steps to ensure she would not be completely lost to them. A small plaque was erected in the entrance hall of Police Plaza with the simple inscription:

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Captain Holly Short 1921 – 2010

Lost But Never Forgotten

Somehow, though they never said it, they each hoped that eventually she would return to them, when the human she had chosen over them left her alone in his world.

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It's been a long day coming and long will it last

When it's last day leaving, and I'm helping it pass

By loving, loving you more

So until that day, the fairies waited. When times were hard and the world seemed dark they waited and hoped. Someday their sister would return to them, and when she did, they knew, everything would start to go right again. Their city would heal.

*****

Before you ask, yes I did steal that bit from Tomb Raider. Talking of Tomb Raider, there's this song on the soundtrack (Edge Hill, by Groove Armada) that has a beat thing that is exactly like the one in Isobel. Seriously. It's the song near the end, when they get the last piece of the triangle and turn back time to save Alex, and when she comes back and everything is frozen and she grabs the knife, turns it round and shoots the triangle? You know that bit? The music there. Soundbites can be found at bn.com for anyone who's interested. Ahem. Sorry. Went off track there a bit…

Hope I didn't put anyone in hospital with a stomach bug. Next one will be up… at some point in the near-distant future. That one will be the last.

Luv slime xxx


	4. My last breath

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Hello everybody! I was quick wasn't I! Wow…only a matter of days between updates… that has to be a first… just to warn you right now, this one is really bad for the sickening factor. *wrinkles nose* It is very sloppy and fluffy and I felt slightly nauseous after writing it… ah well. I guess you can stick a bit of fluff 'cos you came back here…

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TO MY REVIEWERS: Thanks to Ever (I see the second one tomorrow… hehe!), BigBanana, and TeenTypist. Only three reviews, but I'm not really bothered…

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A/N: This takes place a long, long time in the future. As I didn't specifically say what age Artemis was when they ran away (though I did give a year for the day he disappeared – though that was just a random number and doesn't bear reference to how old he was – if you know what I mean) I'm not going to say exactly how far in the future this is. About 60/70 years to give you an idea.

This is done using the lyrics to the song 'My Last Breath' by Evanescence (from their album 'Fallen' – another wicked CD if I do say so myself. Lyrics in italics, I own nothing. It's track 10 on the album. You can hear it at:

W w w . e v a n e s c e n c e . c o m / m u s i c

Where if you click on the title in the blue box on the left, you should get about a minute/minute and a half of it. If that doesn't work, try going to w w w . b n . c o m and searching Evanescence under music, click on the album 'fallen' and you should get soundbites of all the tracks, including this one.

Enjoy. And get your sick bags ready. I'm seriously not kidding on this one. If you have a weak stomach, turn back right now.

*****

Artemis was dying. At the age of ninety-three he had had a long and happy life. A life spent with Holly, a life that had been so full of joy and light he could scarcely believe it still.

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Hold on to me love

You know I can't stay long

Holly was by his side now, holding his hand as though she would never let go. While Artemis looked all of his nine decades, she barely seemed thirty, her fairy longevity keeping her young.

Artemis's eyes were closed, but he made an effort to open them and look her in the face. He saw the pain, the unshed tears and the fear in her expression and reached slowly up to stroke her cheek. One such tear forced itself out of her eye.

"Holly," he said gently "We knew this day would come. You have to let me go, you know that."

She turned her face away from him for a moment, emotions swamping her.

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All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid

"Holly, look at me." She did so. "This won't stop me loving you. I will always love you, no matter where either of us are, whatever world we're in. You know that."

More tears followed the first down her nose. "But Artemis, please. There has to be something… a ritual, anything. At least let me use my magic until we find a way. You can't just give up."

Artemis smiled weakly. "I'm not afraid to die, Holly. I've lived quite long enough."

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Can you hear me?

Can you feel me in your arms?

Neither spoke for a few minutes. Artemis couldn't even hear the sound of her breathing. He opened bleary eyes again, trying to see her.

"Holly? Holly, are you still there?"

A warm hand patted his wrist comfortingly. "I'm here, love. I'm not going anywhere."

Artemis tried to focus his eyes in the direction the sound came from. "The lenses in my eyes have gone." he remarked after some fruitless searching. "I can no longer focus my vision."

Holly reached towards him, the gift sparkling between her fingertips. Artemis caught her hand and shook his head. "No, my love. Don't prolong it."

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Holding my last breath

Safe inside myself

The end was near now. They could both feel it. Holly held onto him even tighter, her grief and desperation pouring off her in waves. 

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Are all my thoughts of you?

Artemis's whole head was crowded with thoughts of Holly. Her face filled every corner: the first time they had ever seen each other, the first time their eyes had met, their first conversation, the first time they ran away, their first kiss. Artemis was happy with it this way. There was no one else on earth he would rather be thinking of.

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Sweet raptured light

It ends here tonight

Holly was thinking the same. Everything she knew, loved, about Artemis span round her brain, each one reminding her afresh that she would lose him and everything she loved about him.

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I'll miss the winter

A world of fragile things

"I must admit that I will regret not being able to watch the sunset with you again." Artemis muttered. "I will miss many things in this world."

"Don't you dare talk like that, Fowl." Holly growled, her words broken by sobs. "Don't you dare. This isn't the end. We _will_ find a way."

Artemis sighed. "No, we won't. We both know that. Try not to worry, love. I'm not in pain."

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Look for me in the white forest

Hiding in a hollow tree (come find me)

Holly could no longer prevent sobs from escaping unbidden. "I can't live without you, Artemis. You mean more to me than my own life."

Artemis gripped her hand. "You won't have to live without me. I will always be here, somewhere. You won't be able to see or hear me, but I'll be here. I promise."

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I know you hear me

I can taste it in your tears

She was silent again. A water droplet fell on his lips and Artemis parted them and let it trickle onto his tongue. He tasted salt and rightly guessed it was one of Holly's tears. She had heard then.

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Holding my last breath

Safe inside myself

Are all my thoughts of you?

Sweet raptured light

It ends here tonight

Suddenly Artemis found he could not move his legs or arms. Only his eyes, mouth and ears seemed still to work. Holly sensed this and another sob escaped her before she could bite it back.

"Not yet." she whispered to no one. "Please give him a little more time."

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Closing your eyes to disappear

You pray your dreams will leave you here

Holly shut her eyes tight, trying to block it all out. She wished and prayed as hard as she could that this wasn't real, that it was just a dream. She couldn't let this happen. It wasn't fair. It couldn't be happening, it wasn't fair.

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But still you wake and know the truth

No one's there

She heard Artemis mutter her name and forced herself to open her eyes. The situation was just as she had hoped with all her strength it wouldn't be. With trembling fingers she stroked his face, the wrinkled skin so familiar to her touch.

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Say goodnight

Artemis forced his eyes open again. "This is it, Holly. Time to say goodbye."

Holly shook her head, speechless in her pain.

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Don't be afraid

"You have to live on without me. Live _for_ me."

"But Artemis, I can't – "

"Yes you can. You are so strong Holly. I know you will be strong for me."

"Artemis…" she pleaded.

"You must return to your people, to your family. They will take care of you, and you won't have to hide."

"No. Artemis, please, no. You're my family, you're my people."

He wanted to touch her, but he couldn't move.

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Calling me, calling me, as you fade to black

Holly lent down and kissed him gently. Artemis smiled inside and felt himself let go and drift away. In the distance, he heard Holly whisper his name, then call it urgently. In a last moment of clarity, his eyes focused on his face and his mouth split into a grin before being swallowed by blackness.

Holly watched the life die from his eyes and felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She let the sobs fully claim her as she buried her face in his still chest. Finally, after all this time, she was alone. She called his name again and again, but he didn't respond.

"Farewell, my love." she finally whispered. "I'll never forget you."

*****

Awww, wasn't that sweet! *dodges full sick bags that are thrown* I _was_ joking there people. No need to get violent…

*thankful sigh* ah well then. That's this fic done and dusted. *shudder* No more A/H for me, thankyouverymuch. Oh no. Hope you liked this whole little series. Sorry to Arty-lovers for killing him. Oh, yeah, and that reminds me, I know that it was a very high, feminine vocal line in that, and 'cos of that it would make more sense for Holly to die. But then, I've only ever seen one other person who had a story with him dying of old age, and there aren't enough of them, being as it is what will happen to him. Though he will not die in Holly Short's arms. *shudder* Oh no. Nonono. No pairing will ever happen. *turns around in little circles and starts shaking* Ack, no, no, it won't happen! Holly will never be with Artemis/Foaly/Trouble/Root/Juliet/Chix. *looks around in a very panicked way* do you hear them? They're coming for me! *dives for cover under computer table*

Bry: In the event of the author losing her mind, we, the alter egos have been instructed to take over.

S.F: She (slime frog) would like to wish you all happy and pleasant throwing up, tell you to have good lives and ask you not to sue her for seriously damaging your health and/or sanity.

Bry: She (the freak) would also like you to review. Flames are welcome.

Luv slime xxxx


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